Sunday, August 18, 2013

Adventures in CSA 2013: Week 11 - Behind the Music

If I only posted the contents of our CSA share each week, you'd get an idea of what we receive from our farm. When I also post about most of what we make and eat each week, you start to get the bigger picture of what sort of value this represents in our lives. Because I'm willing to admit to you there are items that go to waste, we can further evaluate the pros and cons of getting an unknown quantity of mystery produce every week.

This week, almost halfway through our season, I wanted to mention another factor in our CSA consumption -- we don't always use everything in a share during the week it is received. I have tried to address this in past years' CSA coverage, and accounting for "carryover" produce becomes a bit of an issue (as I try to keep straight what's in the fridge from which week). I promised myself I wouldn't stress out over that detail this year, as I'd rather provide you with some coverage, rather than get overwhelmed and stop posting altogether because I can't do it with perfect accuracy.

But I did think that this point in the season might be a good time to fill you in on what we actually have in the house at the start of Week 11. Things start to get lost and go to waste at a faster rate around now, as the share size peaks, so this is also a good exercise for me -- so that I see what I still have to use up.

I'm not just listing the items from this week's pickup below, but all of the CSA produce currently in the house. This will include "pantry staples" that last well (onions, garlic), as well as some items that I discover need to be tossed.

See? I totally didn't realize there were more carrots and a lone cucumber in there. If I'd done this last week, they might not have gone to waste. I'll have to remember to take inventory more often. Also, I should use some of the greens in the freezer before our frozen salmon share shows up! I'm going to need some of that freezer space.

How is your CSA experience going this year? Are you overwhelmed? Underwhelmed? Do you wish you'd gotten a bigger or smaller share? Do you regret not getting fruit? What item do you hope you're getting more of soon? Personally, I'm pulling for more zucchini and eggplant.

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"I have a thermos bottle with cream of tomato soup," she said. "And a lobster salad sandwich on thin slices of white bread. I have celery, carrot sticks, and black olives, and a little cardboard shaker of salt for the celery. And two plums and a tiny basket of cherries. And vanilla pudding with chocolate sprinkles and a spoon to eat it with."
"That's a good lunch," said Albert. "I think it's nice that there are all different kinds of lunches and breakfasts and dinners and snacks. I think eating is nice."
"So do I," said Frances, and she made the lobster-salad sandwich, the celery, the carrot sticks, and the olives come out even.
-- from "Bread and Jam for Frances" by Russell Hoban